9 Experienced Thru-Hikers Share Their Favorite and Least Favorite Trails

When we asked Trek writers about their favorite thru-hikes, we expected to find some clear favorites. After all, certain trails have captured the imagination of hikers for generations. The responses, however, were literally all over the map as the writers reflected fondly on trails across the world.

Some chose iconic long-distance trails, while others picked lesser-known routes with personal significance. We heard about the appeal of solitude and the joy of community, the challenges of technical terrain, and the beauty of long, meditative stretches (I’m looking at you, CDT road walks). 

Here, we dive into the responses to try to answer the age-old question: Which thru-hike is the best?

Trek Writers’ Favorite Trails

Despite the many unique answers, the Colorado Trail and Appalachian Trail cropped up several times throughout the responses.

The Colorado Trail

The Colorado Trail was mentioned most often as a favorite, celebrated for its stunning, varied scenery and well-maintained trail.

Matthew Alan Thyler, who hiked the trail in 1989, says, “the Colorado Trail had just become a thru-hike and I’d participated in its construction. Walking through my home state as a young man invested me with a deep sense of ownership/stewardship for my native land that I carry with me even today. I’d like to go back and hike it again.”

Even years later, the CT still retains the wild beauty that keeps drawing hikers to Colorado. Deirdre Rosenberg, who thru-hiked in 2019, says, “it’s just absolutely stunning and so varied. It’s also extremely well-maintained with great town stops and many friendly folks. Some of the segments are seriously beyond breathtaking and will change your life — even if you don’t have time to thru-hike it, but can section hike it!”

The wildlife encounters you can have on the Colorado Trail are incredible. Photo: Jim Rahtz

Part of the allure of the trail is the ability to complete a thru-hike on a shorter time scale. At just under 500 miles and with plenty of road access between segments, the Colorado Trail is uniquely accessible. As Jim Rahtz, CT Class of 2014, puts it, “at just under 500 miles, the hike was long enough to be life changing, but without being so long that I had to completely change my life to complete it.”

The Appalachian Trail

Unsurprisingly, the AT was also a popular choice, though writers tended to reflect on it a little less fondly. 

Says Abs “Shitwater” Evans, “the Appalachian Trail will always be the toxic ex I keep coming back to. She’s too hot (literally.) She always hurts me when I go back to her with ass chafe, hellish mosquitoes, so much mud, knee-breaking climbs and rock scrambles but whenever I’m away, I miss her so much.

“She builds you up with this heart-pounding climb, and just as you’re about to climax — there’s nothing. No view, just some shrubs and trees. It’s incredible. She turned me feral. I was on my hands and knees for her. In the mud. Screaming. Crying. Sh*tting myself. She’s just there to make you suffer, and I love her for it. Even from the west coast, I still miss her. That’s true love. Never change, toxic babe.”

Claire Dumont, who hiked the trail in 2024, explains that “hiking the AT was magic. Between there being so many people and being on trail for 5 months, it was socially the most connected I’ve felt to a tramily. For me, the trail was the ideal combination of physically challenging and logistically simple.”

Claire “Marmot” Dumont on the Appalachian Trail in 2024. Photo: Claire Dumont

What Makes a Trail a Favorite?

Outside of the CT and AT, few trails made multiple writers’ lists. Still, one common element seemed to unite many hikers’ favorite trails, from Scotland to the Rocky Mountains: solitude. Two writers noted the joy of having a trail to themselves.

Jess, aka “Sassafras,” picked West Virginia’s Cranberry Wilderness Loop as her favorite, saying, “we didn’t see a single soul out there. Very lush, very magical, great campsites, lots of water, and very easy to get lost but not in an “oh sh*t” kind of way.”

Taylor “Haiku” Bell remembers “camping totally alone on the beaches, peaks, and rainforests in one of the most desolate corners of planet earth; spotting one of the rarest birds in the world (the orange-bellied parrots at Melaleuca!!), and wayfinding and whacking through true Tassie mud and bush” while on the Port Davey Track in Tasmania.

In short, trails often feel more magical when you feel like you’re one of the only people out there discovering it. Many writers do highlight their love of community on more crowded trails, but we also heard stories of large tramilies and strong culture even on less crowded trails.

Katie Jackson (oh, hey, that’s me!) says about the CDT, “there weren’t many people out there, but everybody knew everyone else. You’d walk into town, see a thru-hiker, ask their name, and immediately go, ‘oh, I’ve been hearing about you for a thousand miles!’ It made it very easy to make connections quickly, and I got to make lifelong friends without battling crowds along the trail.”

Tramily celebrating Busdriver and Livvy’s triple crowns at the Northern Terminus of the CDT.

Trek Writer’s Least Favorite Trails

The most disliked trails were defined by two main factors: lack of scenery and too many bugs. Taylor “Haiku” Bell, who hiked the Scottish National Trail in 2019, says it was “45 days of nonstop rain, trenchfoot, ringworm, athlete’s foot, and midges thicker than the fog at the top of every peak.”

Sometimes, the issue is timing more than the trail itself. Deirdre Rosenberg said of her 2017 North Country Trail thru-hike, “there were just so many bugs when I did it, which was in summer. This is a shoulder season hike for sure: do it in autumn!”

The Long Trail appeared on both the “favorite” and “least favorite” lists. Jim Rahtz called the Long Trail a least favorite. “Vermud is real. With plenty of rain and steep slippery trail, I fell more on this trail than all my other hikes combined. Surprised I never got hurt. A few great views, but many of the climbs have no visual rewards waiting for you.”

A view of the “trail” on the Long Trail. Photo: Jim Rahtz

However, Claire Dumont described it as a favorite, noting that she “can’t say enough good things about hiking the Long Trail in September. The fall weather is quintessential Vermont. It’s challenging in the ways that it is fun for a trail to be challenging. It’s social but not too crowded. The Green Mountains are stunning, especially as the leaves change color.”

Jess (aka Sasafrass) agrees. “The Long Trail hurts like a motherf***er, but it’s magical!”

What Does This Tell Us?

Which thru-hike is the best? The answer is as individual as the hiker you’re asking. Whether a trail becomes a favorite or a least favorite is as much about your headspace and personal experiences as it is about the scenery and conditions of the trail itself. Everything depends on personal expectations, the weather, and what a person is looking for in a hiking experience.

The best trail might be the one that challenges you most, the one you can share with a strong community, or the one that gives you a much-needed sense of solitude. It is a deeply personal journey, no matter the destination.

Happy trails!

Featured image: Photos via Jim Rahtz (left) and Claire Dumont. Graphic design by Chris Helm.